The Washington critic., 1887-05-21
JAY GOULD'S JAUNTS.
Five Thousand Miles Travel in a
Private Railway Car.
A SOUTHWESTERN TRIP,
The Faithful Man Friday who Always
Goes with Him.
DIAMOND JOE" OF HOT SPRINGS


every mile of his railroads. There is an
immensity OF interest in such a trip when
made for the first time, or even the second
or third; but II has been made so often by
Mr.. Gould that he has thoroughly absorbed
all the pleasure to be obtained from 1t ex-
Gept that which smacks Of dollars and
power. His trips occupy about three weeks
from the time his special car, the Convoy,
leaves st. Louis until 1t returns to that hot
and dusty city OF pageants and conven-
tlons.
When word is flashed to st. Louis that
Mr.. ould is on his way every official on
the system packs his head full OF informa-
tion, and there is unwonted activity from
Omaha to Galveston and from Fort Worth
10 San Antonio. All OF the systems execu-
tive force was selected either by Mr.. Gould
or by trusted officials in whom he had i'm
plcit faith, and the heads Of divisions who
work for Jay Gould could not work harder
. for anybody else, although In some
instances their bank accounts do not
chow It.
Mr.. Gould lately was in the southwest
on
ATouR or INSPECTION.
On his trips he is always accompanied by
General Superintendent Kerrigan, New
Yorker by birth, southwesterner by edu.
cation. Physically they are in marked con-
tra.t; The eleaniy shaven;; fair complex,
Toned superintendent would make two OF
his employer. In manner they are much
alike, though kerrigan has a spice OF buff
ness that is lacking In the other. He has
the composed, unexcitable manner Of
Gould to perfection, and Is never known,
no matter how great the provocation may
be, to speak except in q low pitched tone.
4 lr IL It.t, rail
mas the Typographical features OF the south
west-eyery corner OF it-at his fingers
ends. lie has been employed on railroads
Of the system for over thirty years. From
his superintendent Mr.. Gould obtains such
details as the latter gathers from the diYl.
sion superintendents and other officials,
but In making trip Mr.. Gould insists
apon stopping, at every point included in
one OF Mr.. Kerrigan's regular trips OF
a stenographer, who is also type writer,
and the superintendent and heads Of divi-
sions follow the same plan.
Upon arriving at a station at which 1t has
been decided TO make an inspection, Mr..
Gould askG how long stop Will be made.
The answer may be "an hour.n Mr.. Gould
looks at his watch. He then accompanies
the superintendent on part Of his rounds,
listens quietly to his talk with the railroad
officials OF the place, and, having heard all
he cares to listen to, wanders around by
himself, while the superintendent picks up
the information which later he win give to
his employer. Mr.. Gould manifests no
impatience until the hour is exhausted. But
II The engineer Is not ready to start on the
minute, and all hands are not in their places
en- the car, he begins to fdget and is restless
ultil q fresh start is made.
lie is strong advocate OF method. The
days work is laid out In the morning and
almost before the train starts. in the morn
ing he has settled how many stops can be
made during the day, and where the night
can he spent. lie dimes and sleeps on
board his car from the start to the finish Of
three weeks trip. At night the Convoy is
run to the quietest part Of the yard, as the
owner objects to more noise than he can
avoid at night, though he can apparently
stand as much as any one else In daylight.
His car is always curiosity along the line,
and people come from far and near to lool;
at 1t as 1t stands in the evening In secluded
spot, secure in Its loneliness. In some parts
OF the country through which his roads
run he is quite as much OF q curiosity In
the eyes Of the country folk as circus,
and were he to stand on the platform after
the manner Of James G.. Blaine would at
tract quite as big crowd as that gentle
achieve notoriety In that way, and Is quite
as modest in his demeanor while on one of
his tours as he is In his office or his Fifth
avenue mansion. In the latter, as u few
newspaper reporters know, he Ia more I'm
assuming and far more polite than q ma
jority of his thousand dollar employees.
GouLD's ONLY JOKE.
Mr.. Gould meets some odd as we'll as
prominent people on his trips, and occa-
tionally has peculiar experience. On his
first visit to Galveston, Tex, he discovered
hat 81 I Ga a
others, he imagined 1t was on the main
land. On this occasion number OF citi
zens had been appointed to do him honor
and he had promised to take up his quar-.
tiers Mt hotel. The committee had
neglected to secure carriages for the party
and made desperate effort Just before the
arrival Of his car to repair the omission
election at Galveston on that very particu
Iarday. 1t was q hot one, both the day
and the election, and everything on wheel;
had been bought up the contending parties.
Twenty dollars was offered for n hack and
refused. The committee felt forlorn until
Mr.. Gould laughed at It's dilemma and re
couldn't climb. This is the only joke
charged against Mr.. Gould by the people
who live on the line of his roads, for the
highest point Of Galveston Is only three
feet above the sea level. The inhabitants
claim four feet, and denounce as libel tht
statement made by people who live inlant
that tide water is three feet higher thar
Galveston.
While skimming along over the Inter
rational and Great Northern, between
Houston and Galveston, Mr.. Gould cannot
look on either side OF him without looking
at land owned by A. A. Talmage, manager
OF the Wabash railroad. Mr.. Talmage owns
tract, or ranch-though there are but few
cattle on It OF l60, 900 acres. For this land
Mr.. Talmage paid l2l cents per acre. lie
would probably refuse to sell 1t to-day fol
So per acre. II Mr.. Talmage owned nothing
else beside this ranch he might be consid-
cred above want. Mr.. Gould owns some lane
in different parts OF the country also, but a:
proprietor OF the soil he occupies a muct
lower grade than Manager Talmage. George
Gould probably owns as much land-rail-
road and grants not considered-n tn,
southwest as his father, and is always or
the lookout for bargains. These are Away
TO be had at the close OF n disastrous agri
cultural or cattle season. New corners ir
Texas are liable to forget that dlsastrou
years only occur occasionally, and that II
three favorable seasons the profits will b
large enough to stand one bad season II
three. They may hear OF all this after the,
sell out, but the old settler is not oflerlni
information that can only be bought witt
experience until 1t Is valuable as a mournfu
reflection.
The Iron Mountain Railroad has station
called Malvern. 1t is forty.four mile
south OF Little Rock. As his car pulls int
Malvern Mr.. Gould sees on narrow gaug,
railroad that also has q station there al
engine with diamond. shaped headlight.
The narrOw-gauge road runs from Malvern
10 Hot Springs. Mr.. Gould has no interes
in 1t, hut he knows 1t was built and 4
owned-every spike In it-by a man wht
received bis first start In life from the sam
man who placed him on his feet. The IIo
Springs Railroad is owned by "Dlamond
.Ioen Reynolds, who was started in busines
many years ago by Zadock Pratt, OF tn,
town OF Prattsville, Green county, N. Y,
when the young man lived IN Sullivan